Reversible placard hobder for tank cars



Jan.

S. L. JOINER REVERSIBLE PLACARD HOLDER FOR TANK CARS Filed March 50. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 RETURN-RUSH EMPTY TANK CAR y :NFLAM ABLE VH FOR KEEP LIGHTS RND FIRES AWAY WHEN LORDED REVERSE THIS CRRD T [Z @W 4 W Jwwmto'c J Li'LJob'n/erj Ill I /7 /9 2o 5 J /5 v Jan. 18 1927.

s. JOINER E PLACARD HOLDER FOR TANK CARS REVERSIBL Filed March 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet gn uemtoc Patented Jan. 18, 1927.

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1 anvnasmrn PLAoAnp Keenan ron "mm:- cans.

- -App1ieation.- filed larch 30g 1926; SeriaLNotBQ-SM.

iThe invention relates. to a reversible; plac- .-ard .holderefontank cars.

mThe-ohjectof -.the;.-present invention is to improve the construction of reversiblehplac- 21 simple practical .and eflicientv reversible placard. holderv otistrong durable .andnoml,parativelyninexpensive construction iadapted 1-.

. tosmeet. railroad requirements and a eapablc l -.of. ;being. -.1-'eadily. reversed for .-dl1dl03tlllg wh cn a. tank car. is iemptyi or fullnwithout necessitating. .the; person. \ohanging the. position. ofthe. reversible-placard, .climbing upon .the. a running. .board Q ,upon :gwhich placard l .sholders .are .11stially mounted. v

:1 Commonly such-placards-consist OfnPI'lIIt- -*ed .sheetsasecured. to upn'ightssmountedl on the running .board orother portion 50f .the -car frame or runningigearaanda-looatedl at tloatheuends ofatheacar atuboth. sides thereof,

.one of .-.the. placards .being..-used tonindicat- ,,-ing-. that...theetank. car is. full and .another .dor designating whenithe tank car is empty.

Another; obfleot of..the..-invention :is. topronode a. reversible, .placard holder in. which .the. placard will. be rigidly. held. in position .and inmvhichthere Kill-.bQLDO liability; of Lithel vibration; otithe. device in ident. toa rain motion. \eitheiuohanginglthe epnsitionsofl .the I placard onloosening the revereibletcomtruct'lOIl.

With these and other objects inrvierv the invention consists .inthe, construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the claims hereto appended, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion and minor details of construction, within the scope of the claims, may he resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings Figure 1 is an elevation partly in section of a reversible placard holder for tank cars constructed in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the same, the placard being reversed.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view through the socket and shank taken at right angles to Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

ard holders for tank-.carsand toiprovide Fig. '1 is ,aaldetaiL-sectional .niewlptaken I transversely. otthe housing ofthe latch.

Fig .6 is. a detail .view: ot-lthe, ilatch abolt.

a Fig. .17 is .a side-elevation; of my invention showing ,the .same: attached to then-running board of a .tankmar.

InitheLaccompa-nying drawing irrwhich is illustrated theapret'erred embodiment-of the invention 1 dasignates a. .reversiblei placard designedtitoinnse on tank. cars and constructed ofi sniitahle .metal to. render itpractically indestructiblemandthaving the. lettering. .ap- .,'plied to itinianysuiitahle manner. Placards are .required to; be plmced .orntank cars. con- .taining. inflammable liquids notifying railroadnompa-nies. and others a ofqthe. inflamamable. .and dangerous nature. of the contents 1 of thetank onthe interior ofthe .tank after billet :oontents. have. been. removed and. .-until 5 all. .the -.-inflammable. vapors. have .been dis- ;.placed and .it isathe usualapraetice to use uonmiplacar'd .which. is applied. to-..tl1e car .1 when. i the ,tank is full. .and anothen l .placard .mhich: is applied to the .car :attermthe con- ..=tents shaves-been removedafrom the tank. aZlThe indestructible...reversible .placard 1 s will he. provided on nits, faces .with thematter scone spending. tojthe two: placards-usually pempl yed on.tankeears a d. m ngl legal v-reauirementsoflthesame. I

:Zlhenrenersible metallicr-placardewhich is rectangular ,ismounted. inn slot or,- bifurcation 2; of. a .shank 8 .Qithilti a .diagonals,,arranged vertically and horizontally as shown in the drawings and it is riveted or otherwise secured in the slot or bifurcation of the shank which is reduced intermediate of its ends to provide a shoulder 4 and a lower squared portion 5 which fits in a rectangular opening 6 of a vertical socket 7. The shoulder is adapted to rest upon the upper edges of the socket 7 which constitutes an upright portion of an L-shaped bracket 8 having a horizontal attaching portion 9 of a length to extend entirely across the lower face of 100 the running board 10 of a tank car and bolted or otherwise secured to the same. The bracket is designed to consist of a single piece or casting of malleable iron or other suitable metal and the polygonal character of the 105 opening of the socket and the shank will pre vent any rotary movement of the shank and the placard in the socket of the bracket so that it is necessary to remove the shank from the socket and reverse the .former and the placard carried thereby before replacing the shank in the socket. This may be done by a railroad employee or other person without climbing upon the running board of the car.

The shank is secured in the socket by means of a horizontal spring actuated pin or bolt 11 mounted in a tubular casing or housing 12 and provided at its outer end with a head 13 forming a suitable grip or handle for enabling the spring actuating pin or bolt to be readily manipulated. The pin or bolt extends through registering openings 14 and 15 inthe shank and the socket and it has disposed on it a coiled spring 16 which is interposed between a car 17 of the pin or bolt and a flange 18 or suitably formed of scallops provided at the outer end of the casing or housing. The bolt is provided with a longitudinal flange 19 slotted at the inner portion at 20 for the coiled spring 16 and being of a length substantially the same as the thickness 01 the shank and one of the side walls of the socket and operating in a groove 21 in the casing or housing. The bolt or pin is adapted to be withdrawn a sutficient --distance to enable the flange to clear the outer end of the housing and the bolt or pin which is round may be then rotated to carry the flange away from the groove 21 whereby the flange is adapted to hold the pin or bolt in a retracted position and out of engagement with the shank of the reversible placard to enable thelatter and the shank to be removed from the socket and reversed. After the placard has been thus adjusted the bolt or pin is partially rotated to return the flange to the groove in the casing or housing and permit the spring to actuate the said pin or bolt and carry the same into engagement with the shank of the reversible placard. By this construction the shank will be firmly secured in the socket of the bracket and there will be no liability of jar or vibration changing the position of the placard. preferably threaded at the inner end at 22 and secured in a threaded opening in the adjacent wall of the socket.

In order to prevent the reversible placard from becoming lost or misplaced a chain 23 is employed for connecting the shank with the socket. The chain which is secured at one end to the socket and at the other end to the shank is of sufficient length to enable the reversible placard to be conveniently handled.

What is claimed is:

A reversible placard holder for tank cars comprising a bracket including a lower attaching portion and a substantially vertical one piece socket member provided with side and bottom walls rising from the attaching portion and having an opening polygonal in cross section, a reversible placard having opposite placard faces and provided with a shank having an upper portion to support a placard, the shank having a lower portion which is polygonal in cross section provided with a shoulder intervening between the upper tapering and the lower polygonal port-ions ot the shank, the lower polygonal portion of the shank fitting in the socket of the bracket with said shoulder of the shank resting on the top of the socket and the end or the shank engaging the bottom of the socket, the cross sectional shape of the lower portion or the shank in the socket interlocking the shank against rotary movement in the socket, the shank being removable from 5 the socket to reverse the placard, and means carried by the socket for locking the shank against removal from the socket.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

SYLVESTER L. J OINER.

The casing or housing 12 is g 

